As a big twin-stick shooting fan, I’m always excited to see new titles in that vein popping up on the Switch, especially when they do things a bit differently. Appropriately for the Skautfold series, which has changed styles up for each iteration, while it may be a shooter, it plays quite differently than normal. In many regards feeling more like an adventure of sorts, with twin-stick shooting being used for its combat, it has its own feel and flow that’s absolutely refreshing… even if not likely for everyone.

If you’re into the story side of things, it’s consistent with the rest of the series and tends to be focused on its own darker and more Lovecraftian version of the world, filled with Eldritch creatures and plenty of death all around. Of course, that sort of setting pairs quite well with twin-stick shooting action, though this isn’t a shoot first and ask questions later sort of experience, as while there’s typically ammunition to be found you shouldn’t likely waste it either. You may not completely run out of ammunition most of the time, but you will likely need to rotate through your various weapons in order to avoid depleting what you need for any of them. Things like your triple-barreled shotgun may turn close-up enemies into hamburger, but it obviously won’t take long to run dry if you’re irresponsible with it.

Combat tends to mostly occur in intense bursts, with you trying to dodge and weave to avoid enemy attacks while returning devastating fire in their direction. The environments absolutely play a role in things, with traps and opportunities presenting themselves to wreak some extra damage on enemies if you’re crafty, but you’ll also end up in spots where things can get tight if you’re not careful, leaving you vulnerable. Aiming can feel a bit tricky at times with you generally needing to move a bit erratically, but with some time it does feel a bit better, and you’ll need to feel comfortable mowing down enemies efficiently since at times the action absolutely can get intense and in your face.

If you enjoy blowing enemies apart, whether human or terrifying creatures, with some copious blood and fluids spewing all about, this could absolutely be a good time. It’s definitely challenging, but not excessively so, and even if you may be a twin-stick shooting veteran, it will likely take some adjustment to fully tune into its flow. I’d also say it’s undoubtedly a bit more rough around the edges than many games out there in the genre, but I give credit to the developer for tackling it in a way that’s unexpected and unique. That special flavor does make it a bit more memorable in a crowded space.